Lewis’ woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) perched in a tree - photographed in Shasta County, California
The Lewis’ woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) is one of the prettiest (and largest) of the many woodpecker species to inhabit the western US. I’ve seen very few of them near my home in the Honey Lake Valley of Lassen County California but I’ve recently been told they nest around nearby Eagle Lake in spring. I spotted this one on a little late afternoon UTV ride around a family member’s ranch in Shasta County late on a January afternoon. There were quite a few of them flitting through the oaks and, while they are a bit “flighty,” never staying in one place very long, they do tend to perch more in the open than other woodpecker species and this one was good enough to hold still long enough in decent light to let me grab a frame.
Size: 6290px × 4194px
Location: Redding California USA
Photo credit: © Mike Lee / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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